WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has threatened to cut funding to schools that don't fully reopen, and U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) is trying to stop that from happening.
He introduced legislation that prevents funding cuts or redirection. Warner said the administration has no legal authority to cut critical education funding during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
Federal money makes up about 10 percent of the money going to public schools.
"The idea that this president is going to force those schools to reopen against the wishes of local officials, parents, and teachers is just crazy," Warner said on Thursday. "And we want to make absolutely clear -- I think the federal law is clear but we want to add an exclamation point -- that this is inappropriate."
After Warner introduced his legislation, the President on Thursday seemed to soften his stance and acknowledged that some schools may need to delay their reopening this fall as the coronavirus continues to surge.